Handle for Cookware

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a handle for cookware, and more particularly, to a handle for cookware that is easy to assemble and simple to operate, wherein an upper grip and a lower grip can be naturally brought together (to firmly close top and bottom vessels) or disengaged (to mutually separate the top and bottom vessels), by means of a cylindrical button that is longitudinally reciprocating along the sliding surface by elasticity of a spring.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a handle for cookware, and more particularly, to a handle for cookware that is easy to assemble and simple to operate, and in which an upper grip and a lower grip can be naturally brought together (to firmly close top and bottom vessels) or disengaged (to mutually separate the top and bottom vessels) , by means of a cylindrical button that is longitudinally reciprocating along the sliding surface by elasticity of a spring.

BACKGROUND ART

For such type of handle for cookware of the prior art, the one as disclosed in Korea Patent No. 10-0554100 has been suggested.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 b, a handle for cookware 100 of the prior art includes a first handle 10 and a second handle 20 provided respectively at each side of a first vessel A and a second vessel B that are foldably attached to a hinge h and pivoting thereon.

The first handle 10 has a slanted slide surface 14 that is getting longer as it travels further from the inner surface 11, that is to be touched by the second handle 20 at the other end away from the first vessel A, to the outer surface 12; at the same time, a step 13 is provided at the outer surface 12 by reducing the thickness of the slide surface 14.

The inner surface 21 of the second handle 20, that is to be touched by the first handle 10, longitudinally extends further with a separation distance l from the starting point of the slide surface 14; at the same time, a stopper 24 facing the slide surface 14 is provided, wherein a groove 23 having width of the separation distance l is formed on the outer surface 22.

It includes: a semicircular block 31 completing a cylindrical groove 30 having a reference diameter equal to the distance from said groove 23 to said step 13, and being fixed to the inner surface 21 of the second handle 20 with screw N; and a longitudinally reciprocating cylindrical button 40 which is inserted into the cylindrical groove 30 comprising a semicircular block 31, a groove 23, and a step 13, and sliding along said slide surface 14.

It further includes an extruded spring 51 retracting and supported by a stopper 24, and a receiving slot 41 being slotted into the cylindrical button 40 and receiving an extruded spring 51.

However, according to a handle for cookware of the prior art, following problems may exist.

It is inconvenient since the semicircular block 31 must be fixed by using a separate connecting means for completing the cylindrical slot 30.

Moreover, the appearance is not desirable since a part of the extruded spring 51 is externally exposed, or, the elasticity of the spring may not be functioning properly when foreign substances are introduced.

LEADING TECHNICAL LITERATURE Patent Literature

(Patent Literature 1) Korea patent No. 10-0554100

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

An objective of the present invention, devised to solve above described problems, is to provide a handle for cookware that is easy to assemble and operating smoothly as well.

Solution to Problem

To achieve above described objective, a handle for cookware of the present invention described in claim 1 comprises:

a upper grip, wherein an upper step having a tread is formed;

a lower grip, wherein a lower step having a tread is formed;

a protruding head protruding from the end part of said lower grip, wherein a latching threshold is formed;

a cap having a latching slot which is being caught in said latching threshold when it is inserted into said protruding head; and

a locker being assembled in away that longitudinal sliding along the outer circumferential surface of the cap and said treads is possible

A handle for cookware described in claim 2 of the present invention further includes a resilient member applying elasticity to said locker against said cap; said cap comprises an inner tube, an outer tube having a shorter length than that of said inner tube, and a receiving slot for receiving said resilient member in between said outer tube and said inner tube, wherein a said latching slot is formed inside of said inner tube; said locker comprises a cylindrical slider and a movable seat protruding from the inner circumferential surface of said cylindrical slider and contacting with one side of said resilient member.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present invention, there are following effects.

A protruding head is integrated into the lower grip such that a separate component for making a separate cylindrical can be eliminated; assembling is very convenient since coupling can be established by simply inserting the sliding guide of the locker and the cap acting as a stopper into the protruding head.

Besides, the resilient member is disposed inside of the cylindrical slider therefore it is not exposed to outside, so any infiltration of foreign substances is perfectly blocked, hence, the sliding of the locker can be ensured.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a cookware of the prior art.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a handle for cookware in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3 a and 3 b are cross-sectional views illustrating each state of movement of the handle for cookware in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective views viewing from front and back side of the separated handle for cookware according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 6 aand 6 b are cross-sectional views with parts in FIG. 4 assembled, and cross-sectional views for coupled and disengaged states.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings; same reference numbers are assigned for the ones that are identical to the ones in the prior art, and their detailed descriptions are omitted.

In addition, the present invention merely describes the upper and lower positions with reference to the position of the drawing, so we define that it includes being opposite position when the upper and lower positions are flipped.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective views viewing from front and back side of the separated handle for cookware according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention; FIGS. 6 a and 6 b are cross-sectional views with parts in FIG. 4 assembled, and cross-sectional views for coupled and disengaged states.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, a handle for cookware 300 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention includes: an upper grip 310 and a lower grip 330 facing each other, a coupling and releasing member 350 that couples or releases the upper grip 310 and the lower grip 330.

The upper grip 310 is preferred to have a semicircular shape cross-section with a flat bottom.

In addition, an upper step 311 which is stepped with a riser 313 and a tread 315 in the semi-circled circumferential surface of the back end of the upper grip 310.

In addition, the width of the tread 315 is getting narrower as it travels from top to bottom (i.e. the lowest position of the upper slanting surface).

In addition, in the surface of the back end of the upper grip 310 an upper slanting surface 317 being slanted with a negative (−) slope is formed.

The lower grip 330, similar to the upper grip 310, is preferred to have a semicircular shape cross-section with a flat top.

In addition, in the lower grip 330, a lower slanting surface 337 facing the upper slanting surface 317 is formed.

In addition, an upper step 331 which is stepped with a riser 333 and a tread 335 in the semi-circled circumferential surface of the back end of the lower grip 330.

In addition, the width of the tread 335 is getting narrower as it travels from bottom to top (i.e. the highest position of the lower slanting surface).

Thus, when the upper grip 310 and the lower grip 330 are closed, as shown in FIG. 6 a, the upper step 311 and the lower step 331 forms a bottom circumference (315 and 335) having equal width.

In addition, a protruding head 339 which is longitudinally protruded from the end of the tread 335 is formed.

A cap 353 having a mounted resilient member 351 is fixed by inserting it into the protruding head 339.

The cap 353 is comprised of an inner tube 355 and an outer tube 357, wherein a receiving slot 359 accommodating a resilient member 351 is formed in between the inner tube 355 and the outer tube 357.

The resilient member 351 is preferred to be made of a coil spring.

Thus, the resilient member 351 applies resilient force to after-mentioned locker 370 against the cap 353, such that when no external force to the locker 370 exists, a force is applied towards the locking position (a state maintaining a mutually closed state for the upper and the lower grips).

It is advantageous that latching slots 361 are formed at the top and the bottom of the inner tube 355 respectively; a latching threshold 363, for latching the latching slot 361, is formed on the protruding head 339 so as to prevent the cap 353 from being separated from the protruding head 339.

In addition, it is advantageous that notches 365 are formed at the front and the back sides of the inner tube 355 of the cap 353.

The notch 365 enables the inner tube 355 being splayed by slight elasticity when the inner tube 355 is inserted into the protruding head 339, and its original state is recovered once the latching slot 361 is latched by the latching threshold 363 therefore separation thereof can be surely prevented.

With respect to the end, the outer tube 357 is formed to have shorter length than the inner tube 355 by as much as L.

This short length is almost similar to the disengaging slide length of the after-mentioned locker 370.

In addition, a notch 367 is formed in the outer tube 357 such that a smooth sliding is provided by allowing the outer tube 357 to have elastic deformation to some degree when being contacted by the cylindrical slider 371 of the locker 370 while sliding.

The locker 370 is comprised of a cylindrical slider 371 and a movable seat 373 that is protruding from the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical slider 371.

In other words, the movable seat 373 is in contact with one side of the resilient member 351.

In addition, the movable seat 373 is protruded enough to be caught by the outer tube 357 but not enough to be caught by the inner tube 355.

The inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical slider 371 is assembled such that sliding on the outer circumferential surface of the outer tube and on the treads 315 and 335 is possible.

The fixed seat comprising the bottom of the receiving slot 359 and the movable seat 373 forms a front and a back seating surfaces for the resilient member 351.

Thus, if the cylindrical slider 371 of the locker 370 is caught by the treads 313 and 333 of the steps 311 and 331 as shown in FIG. 6 a, the upper grip 310 and the lower grip 330 are closely coupled.

Under the state as shown in FIG. 6 a, if the cylindrical slider 371 is pulled back towards the direction of the solid line as shown in FIG. 6 b, the coupling is disengaged as the upper grip 310 is freed from the steps 311 and 331 and puffed due to elasticity.

At this disengaged state if the cylindrical slider 371 is released, as shown in FIG. 6 a, the cylindrical slider 371 is stopped because it is caught by the rise 333.

Thus, the coupling and disengaging member 350 is mainly comprised of: a cap 353 fixed by inserting into the protruding head 339; a locker 370 sliding along the outer circumferential surface of the cap 353; and a resilient member 351 which is interposed between the cap 352 and the locker 370 and restores the original position of the locker 370.

In addition, the longitudinal sliding distance of the locker 370 is limited to the distance between the end of the outer tube 357 of the cap 353 and the rise (313 or 333).

Although the present invention is described with reference to the preferred exemplary embodiment, it will be apparent to the person of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and alterations of the present invention can be made within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit and the scope thereof written in the claims described herein below.

Description of Symbols 300: handle for cookware, 310: upper grip 311: upper step, 313: riser 315: tread 317: upper slanting surface 330: lower grip, 331: lower step 333: riser, 335: tread 337: lower slanting surface 339: protruding head 350: coupling and disengaging member 351: resilient member 353: cap, 355: inner tube 357: outer tube 359: receiving slot 361: latching slot, 363: latching threshold 365, 367: notch, 370: locker 371: cylindrical slider 373: movable seat 

What is claimed is:
 1. A handle for cookware including: an upper grip, wherein a tread is formed; a lower grip, wherein a tread is formed; a protruding head protruded from the back end of said lower grip, wherein a latching threshold is formed; a cap having a latching slot which is latched by said latching threshold when it is inserted into said protruding head; and a locker which is being assembled such that longitudinal sliding along the said treads and outer circumferential surface of said cap is possible
 2. A handle for cookware according to claim 1, further including: a resilient member applying resilient force to said locker against said cap, wherein said cap comprising: an inner tube; an outer tube having shorter length than that of said inner tube; and a receiving slot, wherein said resilient member is accommodated in between said outer tube and said inner tube, and said latching slot is formed in said inner tube, and said locker is comprised of: a cylindrical slider, and a movable seat protruding from the inner circumferential surface of said cylindrical slider, and being in contact with one side of said resilient member. 